Strange & Charmed

One of this summers hottest trends is the use of ultra glam metallics. I call this the Metallic Goddess look. Think sleek form factor with a shimmer of silver, sparkling gold dresses, stand out pumps and lots of metal jewelry. I am very into this trend, which I secretly believe is not actually a trend at all but a classic style that has and always will be popular. It’s an effortless sort of glamour that always seems chic, whether you are donning head to toe metallics or just wearing one stand out piece, a copper skirt perhaps or a bronze blazer, or maybe you are rocking a metallic silver strand necklace. Any way you wear it, the trend is hot and the look has gone beyond fashion and into the tech market.

Glamourous tech accessories like iPhone cases and laptop sleeves have been making their way into mass market retailers for a while now, but where the true Metallic Goddess style remains is in the smaller scale boutique market. High end boutique brands have been abuzz with glamourous accessories that go beyond what you can find at Staples and Best Buy. Rebecca Minkoff, Tori Burch, Marc Jacobs and Betsy Johnson have all brought their boutique styling to the tech accessory market which is mostly geared towards the young career woman who uses gadgets to get her through her day to day work life and also to keep in touch with her personal connections. This girl is tech savvy and stylish and requires more than your average black leather executive case which trends to the masculine side.

No, our savvy lady needs accessories that match her standout style in and out of the office, which is where Elaine Turner and her line of funky but well designed iPad cases comes in. I recently made my way to her online boutique and found that her high styled metallic and animal skin leather iAccessories are reasonably priced ($50-$150 on sale items) and highly functional. These are no generic sleeves, but well thought out, well made cases. So I just HAD to pick one up for myself. I fell in love with her Metallic Indian Tile Zip iPad case, which I found to be quite perfect. It protects very well with the zip around closure, keeps your iPad securely inside with four well placed straps lined with the same metallic print that covers the case. The alternate cover has a number of pockets to carry business cards, IDs, bank cards and even larger papers. Although their is no strap for a pen, I did find that I was able to hook my new Lunatik Touch Pen to the opening behind the zipper and it clips right in and stays put without any fuss when the case is both opened or closed. Overall, I am loving this case for its use of the Metallic Goddess Glam trend and for its great protection and utility.

So, what trends are you into right now and how do you carry your iPad or tablet? The Pink Mac would love to know!

Earlier this year, or perhaps it was late last year (the precise timing escapes me) I backed my first Kickstarter project, the Lunatik Touch Pen by MNML. The pen is a hybrid of a traditional click style pen and a touch screen stylus and although this was certainly not the most unique concept, it was a marriage of digital and analog that I had felt was long overdue. It’s not that I had never seen a dual tipped pen before, they are common enough, but this was a project that promised to transform the idea of writing on your iPad. This wasn’t yet another offering from a faceless tech accessory company that produces generic, low quality products, this was a highly thought out tool that was created by a group of designers who were basically creating the pen of their dreams. It was different because it had a soul, and I wanted in! So, I pledged my money for a collection of three pens, two polymer and one alloy dubbed the MNML Collection. I waited patiently, reading backer-only updates on the status of the pens as the target ship date slipped from April to July, bringing with it tweaks to the product until I finally came home from work one day to find a brown box on my dining room table that was begging for me to release the magic inside.

Of course, I exaggerate, but I was ecstatic when I finally opened the box to reveal three individually packaged pens that were so simple and elegant it took me a few minutes to decide which one to open first. Alloy first, from it’s premium packaging, felt heavy and sturdy and just the right size in my hand, unlike my countless other iPad styli that are smaller than your average pen and thinner. White polymer next and then black, these two light as a feather and so easy in your hand. I immediately pulled out my iPad to test them out. The writing was smooth, effortless and natural on the Pennultimate App I used first. Then to Paper by 53 to try a combination of drawing and writing, here too the tool felt so natural and it was actually quite freeing to feel so comfortable drawing as the size of the pen kept my hand from contacting the screen without causing my hand to contort.

But as with everything, the pen is not without some flaws. Although it is very natural to write and draw, the pen does not do very well with navigating through web pages or selecting apps. For some reason it’s as though these sorts of taps don’t register well without a firm and controlled gesture. It’s clear the pen was created more as a writing and drawing tool than for general navigation and I am okay with that.

Overall, my favorite pen is the polymer because of the near weightlessness of the thing, but if you are used to using a heavier pen, the alloy will suit you just fine. The analog portion of the pen writes well, like a normal rollerball, nothing special, but I am glad to be able to use standard refills when this one runs out!

The other day while I was at AC Moore, I came across this clear plastic frame stand and thought it would make a wonderful iPad stand. I was right! This 10″ stand holds the iPad perfectly with or without a case. There were plenty of other styles if the lucite claw foot look isn’t for you, but I love how this holds the iPad up a few centimeters off the table so that it is more pronounced on your desk. Best part is, this stand was $3! You can’t beat that! I have some stands that were at least 3x that price that don’t work nearly as well, and I know some stands for the iPad can cost 10x as much! So, if you are looking for an expensive, yet stylish, stand for your iPad, head over to your local craft store and see what they have in their framing department!

Yesterday I went shopping at two of my favorite stores; Ikea and Five Below! If you have ever shopped at either of these stores, you may already know that they are a great place to find the most random accessories for a great price and yesterday, that is what I found.

First, Ikea. They have a new section called Ikea Family where they include a collection of travel accessories like bags, briefcases, backpacks and luggage that are a sturdy quality for a low price. Browsing the area I found an assortment of travel bags at various sizes and colors, so I picked up this hot pink little travel zip bag from the Upptacka series that was only $3.99 ($3.19 with my Ikea Family card). I think this will be a great tech accessory bag for all my chords, cables, chargers and small peripherals while I travel this summer for mini vacays and getaways!

Next, I made my way to Five Below. I consider this store a Mecca for random tech accessories like cases, extra cables, sleeves and an array of other useful items that compliment my MacBook, iPad, iPods, and Blackberry. Best part is, I find something different every time I go to the store. This trip, I found a very cute neoprene iPad case for summer in navy blue and white chevron/zebra print with a hot pink lining. This case even has a separate front zippered compartment for extras which I found very cool for just $5.00!

Now, I don’t just browse the tech area when I go to this store because useful items can be hiding at any corner, and I found my next set of items in the tween clothing section. These cute bags are actually bikini bags for you to store your wet swimsuit after you have changed out of it, but practically, they are a cute waterproof clutch. So, I picked up three; one for me, my mom and my sister (mine is the nerdy owl on top)! These bags are a great size that can fit an iPad, iPod, ebook reader, or any other tech item you may need at the beach or by the pool, as well as your keys, cash, and ID. Plus, they come in an infinite variety of cute styles for just $5.00 each!